Morpeth are left sweating on third place

MORPETH Harriers returned from the Northern Road Relay Championships in Manchester dejected after finishing in fourth place and out of the medals, writes BILL McGUIRK.

However, within 24 hours the team had been promoted into bronze-medal position, though that has still to be ratified as the results are posted as provisional.

After checking through every athletes’ England registration, at least eight clubs were disqualified for using an unregistered athlete.

No doubt there will be numerous appeals going into Northern Athletics, especially from clubs who will now miss out on the chance of going to the National Relays in three weeks’ time.

If Morpeth, who also finished third last year at the same venue, are moved into the bronze-medal position, they owe a huge thanks to Ian Hudspith who has been a major part of the club’s success over the past three decades.

Just six days earlier Hudspith (right), who reaches his 47th birthday this weekend, finished 26th in the Great North Run but put his name forward for the relays.

Despite his body being a little stiff he still managed to post the Morpeth’s sextet’s fastest time after moving through from 16th place to sixth on the fourth stage of the 6x5.4k course.

Thomas Straughan gave Morpeth a solid start, handing over in 14th place at the first changeover before Carl Avery set about cutting back the deficit.

By the next changeover Morpeth had moved into fourth before another GNR contestant Andrew Lawrence suffered as he dropped back to 16th place.

However, Hudspith was next up and managed to reel in 10 of his rivals before passing on to Jordan Scott for the penultimate Leg.

Scott moved up one place but the gaps between the clubs ahead were just too wide before Ian Harding set off on the glory leg.

Harding did manage to improve one position to bring Morpeth home in fourth place – or third!